A Queen's Advice
by The aspiring Firefly
Summary: Tadase is lost, sad and lonely after being turned down, and Rima helps him get over sadness. One-shot, TadaRima.


Shugo Chara!

A queen's advice.

The poor, fragile King chair of Seiyo Elementary was hurt.

The memory of what his loved one had told him only a few moments ago still replayed itself on his brain over and over again.

"_I'm sorry, Tadase-kun… But I decided what I'm going to do. I made up my mind, and I'm willing to be with Ikuto now once and for all." _

How could Amu be so straightforward after all the time she had been indecisive?

And worse yet, she had chosen to be with the one he looked up to, his rival, his brotherly figure… and everything he wasn't.

Amu had probably used kinder words, but Tadase could only recall the ones that hurt the most. It wasn't his dear Amu's fault that the situation was so difficult.

And now that Tadase had forgiven Ikuto for the past, it wasn't Ikuto's fault either.

The harsh treatment Tadase had on himself was quick to put blame on his weakness, fears and defects…. Having such a low-self-steam was so very painful, yet realistic to him.

Yes, who could ever love such a wimpy kid?

Since the sun was setting, no one would be at the Royal Garden, so it was okay for him to go and feel bad over there, because he wouldn't be bothering anyone with his weakness.

Or so he thought.

"Hotori-kun?" A rather soft, high-pitched, yet serious voice said from the table.

Rima Mashiro was sitting formally- apparently busy with Guardian-paperwork-, but in reality hiding a gag manga behind it. She had taken a liking to staying after school to read comedy, since the situation with her parents had calmed down.

"Oh, Mashiro-san… what are you doing here so late?" Tadase asked, only due politeness, since he already had seen that she was having an alone time enjoying her 'embarrassing' hobby.

"Just paperwork. It was my turn to stay late, because Yaya had ballet classes and Amu had something to do." She said in a very blunt and quick voice, to hide any kind of suspicions of what she was really doing.

'_Something to do…'_ Tadase sadly thought.

That 'something to do' was turning him down.

Amu was just such a nice girl that she had decided to say it right on his face. She seemed sad when she did it, of course; but not any sadder than Tadase was feeling now.

Rima couldn't help but to notice just how thick the atmosphere was, because normally, Tadase would be all smiley and kind; he would offer help with the paperwork, would be polite, unreasonably sweet, and even try to get a conversation with her, because he was just so...him.

But right now, the Prince's eyes seemed so dead that he couldn't be bothered at all.

"Did…something happen, Hotori-kun?" Rima asked slowly, putting down her manga and papers. It was rare for her to show worry, but to see Tadase, probably the brightest and kindest creature on earth so very down, was just plain strange.

He didn't even look at her. His lips trembled a little while still remembering Amu's words.

Without even being aware of it, his eyes became glassy, and few tears crawled out.

...And just again, weakness was being shown.

"I'm…sorry, Mashiro-san…" Tadase managed with a cracked voice, passing his sleeves through his eyes. "T-this… is so embarrassing. I'm sorry to bother you, when I should be strong… I know…Boys shouldn't cry like this…" He said, so obviously sad.

Rima only stared at him with her big, deep caramel-brown eyes, and her usually serious look seemed to soften just a bit.

Tadase never really cried in front of anyone, except maybe Ikuto or Amu, so this was quite the pitiful scene for someone as composed as her.

…Maybe…

This cheerful and apparently perfect boy was more complex than what he seemed. Such a thought was something Rima could relate to greatly.

She only got up from her place, walked in front of Tadase, and offered a clean, little tissue.

"You're absolutely right. Boys shouldn't cry. But if they do, it's because something _really _bad happened" Rima said in the kind of calm tone she would only use with Amu. At ease. "I know it hurts when people ask you what's wrong, so I won't ask."

Tadase was fairly surprised by the awkward kindness the little Queen was showing.

But of course, with all the 'slaves' around her all day long, there was no time for showing kindness in the classroom, and all the egg-hunting and work with the guardians didn't allow them to interact at all.

So naturally, Tadase didn't know a thing about Rima.

"…Thank you, Mashiro-san" Tadase said, and took the tissue from her. He cleaned his tears, and faced Rima with a calmer expression. "…Say, Mashiro-san, I could tell you what's wrong. I think you deserve to know, for helping me out."

Rima only blinked twice. "Oh, you want to let out what's left of your sadness?"

Tadase chuckled at how direct and observant Rima was. He nodded, and Rima sat back to her place; Tadase took a seat next to her.

"You see… this afternoon, Amu-chan talked me into going to the park with her".

"Ah, you're all over her, so I guess you had fun?" Rima asked with a tilt of her pretty little head. Little did she know that she was only adding salt to the wound.

Tadase smiled sadly and shook his head. "No, we didn't go over to play or to go on a date or anything…"

"Then?"

"Um… remember how Amu-chan and I used to be so weird around each other? You know… Because we… liked each other?"

Rima rolled her eyes in an annoyed manner. "Ugh. It was pretty obvious, you know... Amu wouldn't talk right, you were both all sweeter than usual, and not to mention so spazzy it was even embarrassing".

Tadase sweat-dropped. Was he really that transparent when he liked someone?

"U-um, yeah… about that, the reason Amu-chan called me to the park was to have a talk with me, and tell me that she…" His voice became softer, sadder. "…That she wouldn't be like that around me anymore…. That she was… "

The more Tadase spoke, the shakier his voice became, and the more obvious seemed that he was heart-broken. "C-choosing Ikuto-nii-san…"

Rima noticed this, and raised her hand in front to him, as if she was asking for him to stop talking.

"You're too sad to be telling anyone about this… just look at how you lost yourself right now, Hotori-kun…" She said softly, trying really hard to give a sympathetic look. "But you know, this isn't the end of the world…"

Tadase didn't buy that one. Amu not loving him back as strongly as he did… that seemed a little too painful to go on as he normally did.

"But… The reason Amu-chan didn't chose me was because I'm not good enough… because I'm so weak and wimpy…" He explained; again showing off that horrible and harsh side of his.

Rima clenched her fists. It was so irritating to see someone who disliked himself so much. Someone with so little self-confidence.

At times like this, KusuKusu and Kiseki where needed.

Too bad all the guardian characters where out on one of Kiseki's 'world-domination-methods' meetings.

"Hotori-kun, if Amu didn't like you it was because she simply didn't like you. It means that the one who is going to be _the _one just wasn't Amu… so it's neither of you guy's fault. Life goes on, and you can't blame it on anyone, including yourself." Rima said in a serious, and a bit scolding voice. She stared at Tadase's amethyst-alike eyes with her deep caramel ones.

"But wouldn't that be like… running away or giving up on her…?" Tadase asked quietly, only getting an angry Rima punching the table irritably as a response.

"Gosh! Of course not!" She said in a fully scolding voice. "It just means that you don't stick to the past and that you're able to go on! Stop being so hard on yourself! Get up and realize that you're worth something, and that someday, you'll make someone very happy!"

Tadase only widened his eyes at how harsh, yet true, were Rima's words.

At moments like this, he could fully understand why she was the Queen.

Sometimes, you can only get the truth you're looking for when it's realistic and straightforward—even if there isn't any kind or sweet-sound to it, it's full of the concern and advice you really need.

Rima was the one cold or concerned enough to give this to the students of Seiyo.

"Mashiro-san…" Tadase simply babbled, staring at Rima in amazement.

Rima looked back at him with a steady look. "…What is it?"

"…Thanks a lot." Tadase said with a sweet smile. His face was red from all the crying, but now he was finally growing calm. This made his smile even more charming than usual.

Rima looked at this expression, and couldn't help but to release a smile as well—a really small one.

At the sight of such a cute little face coming from the ice-queen Tadase knew, he couldn't help but to chuckle merrily. Rima of course, was instantly embarrassed by this, for she blushed madly at the fact that she had practically given therapy and smiled to someone she barely knew.

"Mashiro-san, you should smile more often! I'm sure the boys will like you even more than they already do!"

"S-shut up! Smiling is stupid! And you do it a lot, you know! So you should know… you look stupid right now!"

"That's because I'm glad you helped me!"

"Urgh… I won't help you again, I swear!"

And then she curled into her little ball-shape.

Even though she sounded angry, she was truly very at ease, and was acting more like herself.

And most importantly, even though she would have a hard time admitting it, she was glad that the smiling prince was once again _smiling _at his fullest, as if nothing had been wrong to begin with.

But of course, there was no way she was ever expressing this through another stupid smile. No, sir.

"Say, Mashiro-san?" Tadase asked, when things calmed down a little more.

He didn't realize, but the afternoon was becoming deeper.

Rima was once again standing up normally.

"…Yes?"

"Whenever I have any other problem, would you mind if I tell you?"

Rima eyed him calmly, and couldn't help but to smirk lightly to the request.

"Oh? Am I going to be your personal adviser from now on?"

Tadase blushed slightly. "If you wouldn't mind…"

Rima sighed, but somehow, in a delightful way; like she was having a full and deep breath-out. This was so very satisfying.

"Sure, why not."

Tadase smiled once again, his perfect, princely smile.

"Oh, and Mashiro-san?"

"Yes?"

"Would you mind if I called you Rima-chan from now on?"

The question took Rima by surprise, since her eyes widened.

Very few people called Rima by name, and the fact that _Tadase _from all people was asking this meant business.

Tadase only calls people close to him by their name, so this could get interesting.

"…Sure, why not. But I'm not calling you by your name yet."

.

.

End.

**AN: Shugo-shugo~ Hey guys~!**

**Hooray for my first Shugo-chara fic!**

**Whoot for one-shots! **

**Mind you, I've been a fan for a long time, but I only felt like writing 'till now.**

**Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of NagiRima and AmuTo, but I had this idea on my mind a long time ago, and I can totally see Rima and Tadase as a couple…they're both adorable, so why not? :D**

**So please enjoy this little one-episode-story.**

**Leave me your Review!n3n**


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